campbell



5 Sheds-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) A. CAMPBELL.

ROTARY FOLDING MACHINE.

Patented July '7, 1885.

VINVENTOR:

WITNESSES:

By his flttorneys,

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. CAMPBELL.

} ROTARY FOLDING MACHINE. No. 321,684. Patented July '7, 1885.

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5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

( No Model.)

A. CAMPBELL.

ROTARY FOLDING MACHINE.

Patented July '7 1885.

:uumwummlmmummHilllillllllflllllllllllllIflflllllllllllllllilllm INVENTOR.

WITNESSES:

(No Model.)

. 5 Sheets-Sheet-4. A, CAMPBELL.

ROTARY FOLDING MACHINE.

Patented July 7, 1885.

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I b By his flttol'neys,

J z ssh t-S h t 5. I, (No Model.) I A. CAMPBELL. ee 8 ee ROTARY FOLDING MACHINE. No. 321,684. Patented July '7, 1885..

INVENTOR:

area tries.

ANDREYV CAMPBELL, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN AND EDMUND MOLOUGHLIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ROTARY FOLDING-MACHINE.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,684, dated July 7, 1835.

Application filed May 20, 1884. (No model.)

lo all whom it may concern:

' Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented certain Improvements in Rotary Folding-Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My machine is designed, primarily, for cutting off and folding sheets as they are delivered from a continuous or web printing machine; and it relates to that class of foldingmachines wherein a folding mechanism or mechanisms is mounted in a continuously-revolving drum or cylinder and the sheet is received and delivered through aperturesin the periphery of said drum.

The machine is constructed and adapted to seize the end of the strip as it comes from the printing-machine, cut it off, fold it in the middle, and deliver it either to other folding devices, where other folds are made in it, or onto a receiving-table, as may be desired.

In the drawings I have shown my foldingmachine adapted to fold an eight-page newspaper or printed sheet which requires two folds at right angles; but by omitting the mechanism for producing the last fold the machine may readily be adapted to folding and delivering a four-page sheet, which, if the speed be properly regulated, may be laid directly on the receiving-table.

In the drawings, which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is an elevation of the left side of my machine, the rear end in vertical section substantially. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the right side of the same. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the rear end of the machine, the gearing at that end being removed. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the folding-rollers and delivery mechanism borne by the large foldingcylinder. Fig. 6 is an enlarged endview of one of the folding-blade cylinders, and Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the other folding-blade cylinder, showing the gearing for imparting the proper motion to the blade.

A is a substantial frame, in which the mechanism is mounted.

B is the folding-cylinder, mounted to rotate carries the folding-blad e.

in said frame. This cylinder is driven through the medium of a gear-wheel, O, on its axis, and the motion may be derived from the printingmachine, or it may be driven from the train of gears at any point or in any manner desired. The peripheral speed of cylinder B should be the same as the speed of the web.

D D are guide-rollers around which the web passes on its way from the printing-machine to the folding-cylinder.

E is the cutter, which is rotatively mounted on the main frame, and F is the cylinder which The shaft of the cutter E and the axis of the cylinder F are provided each with a gear-wheel, which meshes with a gear-wheel on the axis of cylinder B, and the pitclrcircles of these gears are tangent to the periphery of cylinder B.

In order to make the operation more clear, I will say here that, as herein shown, the circumference of the cylinder B is equal to twice the length of the sheet to be folded, and that the circumferences of the circles traversed by the folding and cutting blades are equal to the length of the sheet. The points where these circles tangent the periphery of B are separated ninety degrees, and consequently, when the cutter shall have severed the sheet from the web, the middle of the sheet will be directly under the folding-blade.

- I will say here, briefly, that I employapneumatice device or grip for seizing the end of the sheet and holding it down to the face of the folding-cylinder, as the web must be drawn down and held fast to the cylinder without reference to the edge or margin of the sheet. I am not aware of any mechanical grippers that will serve the purpose, although such grippers have been proposed for rotary folding-machines. This pneumatic device I have indicated mainly in dotted lines, as any skilled mechanic will be enabled to construct it from a brief description. As the cylinder B, as

herein shown, bears two sets of folding and delivering mechanism, arranged diametrically opposite, and two setsof pneumatic grippers, a description of one grip will be sufficient. An air-trunk, c, is fitted in the cylinder flush with its surface, and this has a row of small perforations, b. This trunk connects by an air passage or conduit, 0, with a port in a valve-face on the end of the cylinder, which plays over the fixed air-valve d as the cylinder revolves. This valve is connected by a pipe with a pump, fan, or other ainexhausting device. (Not shown.) The port is so set with reference to the valve that the exhaust acts to seize the leading end of the web imme diately before the sheet is cut from the same, and carry it around to the point where a like pneumatic device on the loldingblade cylinder seizes it, at which time the main cylinder releases it.

Referring,now,especially to Fig. 5, I will describe one set of the folding and delivering mechanism borne by the folding-cylinder B.

c c are folding-rollers, audfis a deliveringroller. These are driven through a train of gears, g, the leading wheel of the train 1neshing with a fixed circular rack or wheel, ii. The peripheral speed of the rollers c c and f is equal to twice the speed of the web in the construction shown.

are carrying rollers or wheels, which hear one set on the rollers c and one on the rollerf.

j j are guides, between which the folded sheet passes.

7.: is the outlet whereat the folded sheet is delivered. The roller 0 is kept pressed up' to the roller 0, in the usual manner with folding-rollers, by means of springs.

In order to prevent the passing sheet from catching on the ends of the guides, I forfn peripheral grooves at the proper points in the faces of the rollers e c and j, which the ends j of said guides enter, as shown. This mode of arranging the guides in paper-carrying machines is old and well known.

At the left offin Fig. 5, 10 shows where the upper and lower guides, j, overlap for the same reasonnamely, to prevent the sheet from catching. Thearms which bear the rollers i are secured by set-screws to rods .1", and the lower guidcs,j, are also mounted on the same. The gear-wheels that serve to gear the rollers c ctogether and rollersc and f with the rollers 2', are at the left-hand side ofthe machine, and those which serve to drive the rollers from the fixed rack hare at the other side. This arrangement, however, is only adopted for convenience. Over the rollers c c are arranged curved guard-plates y 9 \Vhen the folded sheet emerges from the outletk,it is projected backward at a tangent with the cylinder 13.

I will now describe the construction of the cylinder F, which carries the folding-blade, referring particularly to Figs. 6 and 7. Zrepresents the folding-blade, which is fixed in a shaft, '11), rotatively mounted in the ends of cylinder F. On this shaft is fixed a toothed wheel, a, that meshes with an intermediate stud-wheel, 0, which in turn meshes with a wheel, 1), of the same diameter as the wheel a, and fixed to the machineframe concentric with the axis of cylinder F. The radial distance from axis of cylinder F to axis of shaft in is four times the radius of wheels a and 1). These proportions govern the size of wheel 0. This construction is such that as the folding-blade is carried around by the cylinder it always remains parallel with a line drawn through the axis of cylinders B and F in the construction shown. In any case, however set, it always remains parallel with a given plane. The movement of the blades is peculiarly adapted to a folder wherein the folding-rollers are being borne along under the blade. The blade is carried along at the same speed as the rollers,'and operates in exactly the same way as a simple reciprocating blade used in connection with ordinary non-moving rollers.

The dotted circle 0; in Fig. (3 represents the orbit in which the edge of the folding-blade moves.

Heretol'ore it has been proposed to employ folding-blades so geared that their edges will trace epicyeloidal curves; but these would be ino )erative on my machine.

Having described the construction thus far, I will now describe the operation. \Ve will suppose that at starting the cutter E stands with its edge engaging the cutting-recess q in the face of cylinder B, and that the leading end of the web X has been seized by the pneumatic grip just back ofthe recess q. The cylinder B revolves until the pneumatic grip on cylinder F seizes the front edge of the web, at which moment the cylinderB releases it. The web is now carried up around cylinder F while the latter makes half a revolution; but this brings the f0ldiug-r0llers c 0 directly under the cylinder F and the folding blade Z to the extreme end of its out or down stroke between said rollcrs. The blade presses the middle ofthe sheet down between the folding-rollers c 0 just at the instant the cutter 1D sevcrs the sheet from the web, and at the same instant the pneumatic grip on cylinder F releases the leading end of the sheet. All of these events take place substantially at the same instant, and the folded bight oftheshect is instantly d1 awn in by rollers e c, borne through the guides around the delivery-rollerf, and out at the deliveryoutlet 7., being projected backward tangen tially to cylinder B, as before stated. At the instant the folded edge of the sheet appears at k the continued revolution of B will have brought the outlet 7.: to the point where the off-bearing cylinder G tangents B. This cylinder G is provided with a pneumatic grip precisely like those described with reference to cylinders B and F, and by this the folded sheet is seized and borne off to receive a second fold. The sheet passes under a series of guide-rods, r r, fixed just above the level of a table, II, and under rollers or wheels 8 s. These rollers stand between rods 1*, and the first pair stand over the delivery-drum G. The others stand back over table H. This rear pair of rollers, 8, stand over slots in table H, and beneath them, and in peripheral contact with them through saidslots, are rotatively mounted precisely similar rollers, s, as These latter are driven indicated in Fig. 3.

IIO

from drum or cylinder G through intermediate rollers, 8 which contact peripherally with both the drum and the lower pair of rollers 8. These latter drive the upper pair of rollers s by frictional contact. Thus both sets of rollers s are driven from G. Just below the table H are arranged a pair of folding-rollers, I I, and just over a slot in the table is a folding-blade, t, which, for convenience, is mounted on journals in the ends of a cylinder, K, which is mounted rotatively on axes in the main frame. On the axial bearing of blade tis a gear-wheel, it, which meshes with an internal fixed rack or gear, 1;, arranged concentric with the axis of cylinder K. The diameter of the internal gear, 1), is twice that of wheel a. This construction is such that the edge of the folding-blade t always moves in the vertical plane which passes through the axis of cylinder K. As the cylinder rotates, the blade is brought down on the folded sheet, and forces it down through the slot in the table and between the foldingrollers I I, which let it fall on a table below; or, by adding a mechanism similar to that just described, another fold may be given to the sheet.

I make no broad claim to this mechanism for carrying off the once-folded sheet and giving it a second fold. I have shown it mainly in order to illustrate the novel features of my machine. The off-bearing cylinder G may, if desired, be provided with ordinary mechanical grippers, such as are employed on printingpresses, as it has nothing to do with the web, and has to deal with the folded edge of the sheet.

It will be observed that the peculiar motion given to the second folding-blade, t, adapts it to rollers I I, which rotate but do not travel, while the peculiar motion given to the first folding-b1ade,l,suits it only to traveling rollers, and not to those which simply rotate in fixed bearings.

It has been proposed to provide a foldingblade with a pinion to gear into afixed internal gear or rack to impart to the edge of the blade an epicycloidal movement; but this construction would not serve my purpose.

The means by which the proper motion is imparted to the cylinders G and K, the rollers I, and the various carrying-wheels, and the proper speed in the proper direction is imparted thereto, does not matter materially; but the system of gearing shown will serve. This is best illustrated in the principal figures. A gear-wheel, a, on the axis of drum K, meshes with a wheel, 1), on a shaft, 0. This shaft is driven from a cross-shaft, d, by miter-gears e; Shaft dbears awheel, f,which meshes with an intermediate, g,which in turn meshes with a gear, h, on the axis of the offbearing drum G. This drum is driven from the gear-wheel on the axis of the main folding-cylinder B by an intermediate wheel, 11.

L- is the gear-wheel on the axis of the cylinder B, M is the gear-wheel on the axis of the cylinder F, and N is a gear-wheel on the axis of the cutter E. The gear-wheel a meshes with an intermediate wheel, j which in turn meshes with a wheel, on a shaft, Z. Another wheel, m, on this shaft meshes with one of the gears, 11., on the ends of the foldingrollers I. Thus rollersI are driven from K.

In case it is desired to give but one fold to the sheet, the train of gears by which the folding-rollers e e and the delivery'roller f are driven may be so proportioned as to give said rollers a peripheral speed equal to the speed of the web. This may readily be effected by change-wheels. This is within the ordinary knowledge of any skilled workman, and will require no description. When constructed in this manner, the folded sheet will be discharged at the bottom of and below the cylinder B.

As my folder is rotary, it may be run with almost unlimited speed, and will fold with perfect accuracy.

It may be well to add that an instantbefore the cutter E severs a sheet from the web the pneumatic grip seizes the edge of the web just back of the cut and carries it forward. Thus one sheet succeeds another in rapid succession.

I have shown and described the cylinder B as provided with two sets of folding mechanisms; but it is obvious that one or more sets may be mounted therein. It would only be necessary to alter the size of the cylinder to suit this arrangement. I prefer two sets, as they serve to balance each other, and three or more sets would make the cylinder large and cumbrous.

I am aware that a folding mechanism and a delivering mechanism arranged within a rotati ng drum and provided with carrying-tapes, said drum being provided with mechanical grippers, have been proposed, and I do not claim this herein. I employ no mechanical grippers and, no tapes.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. A rotary folding-machine comprising a folding-cylinder provided with one or more folding and peripheral delivering mechanisms, and one or more pneumatic grips, substantially as described, a folding-blade cylinder provided with a pneumatic grip, and a folding-blade and its operative mechanism, all substantially as described, and a rotary cutter, all arranged to operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination,with a rotatively-mounted cylinder, F, of the folding-blade and its shaft mounted therein, the wheel n, mounted on the folding-blade shaft, the non-rotative wheel 1), mounted concentrically with the axis of the cylinder F, and the intermediate wheel, 0, the wheels being geared together, and the wheels at and 1) being of the relative proportions specified, whereby the folding-blade will be carried around in a circle by rotation of the cylinder, and be held with its plane pargri p, the folding-blade cylinder provided with a folding-blade and its operative mechanism, and a pneumatic grip, the rotary cutter, the off-bearing, cylinder provided with a grip, and gearing, substantially as shown, for driving the said cylinders and the cutter in unison, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed in y name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANDREXV CAMPBELL.

\Vitnesscs:

HENRY CONNETT, ARTHUR O. FRASER. 

